Vampire Days: Onyx VS Ifrit
by Rider Paladin
Summary: Kamen Rider crossover with School Days and Rosario to Vampire, featuring Kamen Rider Chrome's seminal creation Ryuji Hasuma of the epic Kamen Rider Days and Kamen Rider Onyx from my own Onyx and Vampire. What will happen when these two Kamen Riders meet?


"Vampire Days: Kamen Rider Onyx VS Kamen Rider Ifrit"

Disclaimer: Rosario + Vampire belongs to Akihisa Ikeda and VIZ Entertainment. The visual novel and anime School Days belongs to Studio Overflow. Kamen Rider belongs to Toei and Ishinomori Productions, with Kamen Rider Dragon Knight specifically credited to Adness and Steve and Michael Wang. The concept of Horrors belongs to GARO, which is owned by Tohokushinsha. Ryuji Hasuma is the creation of Kamen Rider Chrome.

Author's note: I, Rider Paladin, am collaborating with Kamen Rider Chrome, my inspiration in the fusion of the worlds of Kamen Rider and anime in fan fiction, to write this story. This story depicts the meeting between Kamen Rider Chrome's breakout character Ryuji Hasuma (Kamen Rider Ifrit) and Adam (the original Kamen Rider Dragon Knight) in a crossover between Chrome's Kamen Rider Days series and my Onyx + Vampire series depicting Adam's adventures in Yokai Academy following the finale of KRDK. This was done purely for fun, and we hope you'll like this story. Now, let's ride.

* * *

A male figure with a shadowed face stood over the male student he'd defeated with a huge smirk. "I barely broke a sweat fighting you." He pressed his foot down upon the unfortunate boy's hand, grinning in satisfaction as he heard him groan and whimper. "Alright, tell me who the strongest kid on campus is."

"Taylor . . . Adam Taylor . . ." his victim groaned out.

"Adam Taylor, huh? I see."

* * *

Speaking of Adam Taylor, he was in a meeting with Yokai Academy's Newspaper Club on the subject of a mysterious fighter on campus. "So, someone's been attacking the male students and challenging them to fights?" he asked.

"Not just the 1st-years, either. Whoever this guy is, he's been going after the 2nd and 3rd year students as well. From the info we've gotten he's not a student and he has two descriptions," Gin explained. "He's got fair skin, cold blue eyes, long black hair tied into a ponytail and he wears a leather jacket. His second description resembles a werewolf in grey armor with spikes on his forearms and shoulders, horns and a mane. It's not a monster I'm familiar with."

"So, a non-student and non-faculty member is walking around beating up students," Moka summarized. "Adam, I think you should be careful. What if he goes after you next?"

"Don't worry, Moka," Adam reassured her. "If he does go after me I'll beat him."

* * *

The next morning, Adam yawned as he made his way to school. So far, his stroll was peaceful. He hadn't run into Moka yet but that would soon change once he reached the gate. She would hug him and then drink some of his blood. Then Kurumu would appear and shove her away before smothering him with her breasts. Mizore would come out of hiding and freeze her before trying to drag Adam away. Finally, Yukari would use her magic to chase Mizore away.

However, today's routine would be different as he saw someone standing in his path. He had fair skin, cold blue eyes and long black and messy hair that was slightly spiked and tied at the base of his skull.

Adam stopped. He'd gotten several challenges since beating Kuyo so he suspected this was another one of those. However, the teenage boy standing before him wasn't dressed as a student, not in the slightest. He was dressed in a black leather bomber jacket with fur on the collar, the bottom edges and the ends of his sleeves and blue jeans with black leather boots. Under the jacket he wore a blue t-shirt with a black 'X' in the centre that was framed by sharp jaws.

"Hey, are you Adam Taylor?" the teenager asked.

"Who's asking?" Adam responded.

"Your next opponent. I'm sure this will be nothing like you've experienced," the stranger said cockily.

"I've heard that one before," Adam said.

"Really?" The unknown teenager reached inside his jacket and pulled a rectangular case. At first Adam thought it was an Advent Deck but then he realized it was a train pass. It was red, with an 'X' on it and flames around the edges. The stranger then pulled a gunmetal grey belt out of his jacket. The buckle looked odd. It looked like a pair of golden-fanged jaws with an 'X' in it and on the right side was a vertical set of buttons. There were four buttons colored black, red, white and blue. "Keep your eyes open." He slung the belt around his waist and fastened it on before pressing the first button. The belt buckle released a loud animalistic roar. "Henshin!" He swiped the pass over the belt buckle.

"**SABER FORM!**" the belt called out and black shards enveloped him, forming into a suit of black armor. At first, Adam thought he was staring at himself but on closer inspection he found that the shoulders were more rounded, there was a vertical blue stripe running down the middle of the chest armor, and blue bands around the wrists and ankles. It was the helmet that bore an eerie similarity to Onyx's except that the horizontal slits were thinner and glowing red. It also resembled Axe's helmet judging by the long and sharp fangs that jutted from the bottom corners of the faceplate's visor and the sharp points in the top corners. Attached to the Rider's hips were black bars. Blue flames enveloped his hands and then formed into a pair of Chinese broadswords.

"Call me Kamen Rider . . . Ifrit."

_Has Eubulon been creating new Riders?_ Adam wondered. _If that's the case, why does this one want to fight me? _Aloud, "If that's what you want." He pulled out the Onyx Deck and thrust it out, generating a burst of black electricity that traveled down his arm to form the Advent Belt around his waist. "Kamen Rider." He slammed the Onyx Deck into the open slot that served as the belt buckle, initiating the transformation into Kamen Rider Onyx.

"Here I come," said Ifrit and with that said the strange Rider charged at the black dragon Rider.

_SWORD VENT__._

Onyx clutched his black Drag Saber tightly and sparks flew as the other Rider's swords crashed against his.

"Who sent you?" Onyx asked. "Was it Xaviax?"

"Nothing of the sort!" Ifrit retorted. "I'm just a free agent."

"A free agent?"

"That's right!" The other Rider delivered a straight kick into Onyx's gut that sent him staggering backwards. "I'm just a guy who's looking for a good fight."

"Is that why you challenged and fought all those other students?" questioned Onyx.

"That's right," Ifrit confirmed. "I thought that a school for monsters would have tougher opponents, but after I fought them I realized that they just looked scary. They weren't that tough."

"Maybe you just didn't find the right opponent."

Ifrit shrugged. "It's possible, but now I've found it. I've found you, Kamen Rider Onyx!" Ifrit charged at Onyx and began slashing at the Ventaran Rider ferociously. Onyx dodged the strikes and put his sword into his left hand as he drew a card and slotted it into his Visor.

_GUARD VENT__._

The twin Chinese Dao hit against Onyx's black Drag Shield and Onyx then bashed the shield against his opponent hard, sending him stumbling. This also had the added effect of disarming Ifrit.

"Good," said Ifrit, smiling under his helmet. "You're the first person in this place that's lasted this long against me."

"Thanks, I guess . . ." muttered Onyx.

"Now, it's time for a change of clothes," said Ifrit as he punched a red button on his belt, causing it to release a trumpeting sound like an elephant. He then swiped his train pass across the belt buckle.

"**MAMMOTH FORM!**" the belt called out as the Rider's armor exploded off him. Onyx blinked as he saw Ifrit in a simplistic suit but then his eyes widened in shock as his gauntlets and boots began turning red as additional armor pieces appeared out of thin air and snapped onto his under armor. The new armor was thick and red with gold spikes jutting out of the chest and large shoulders that resembled mammoth feet as the new visor on the faceplate sported tusks, bull-like horns and vertical slits that resembled Wing Knight's.

"Form change, huh?" Onyx muttered. "That makes things a little interesting." He slotted another Advent Card into his Visor.

_STRIKE VENT__._

The black Drag Claw attached itself to Onyx's right hand as Dragblacker emerged from a portal to back up its Rider. Onyx thrust the Drag Claw forward, directing a blast of Dragblacker's dark flame at Kamen Rider Ifrit. The blue flames exploded and Onyx expected to see the enemy Rider injured but then his eyes widened as he saw the other mystery Rider walk out of the flames, unharmed. In fact, Ifrit had a golden aura around him.

"Nice shot, but it's gonna take more than that to get through this armor," said Ifrit as he took the bars on his belt and put them together, forming an axe. "My turn." With a roar he charged at Onyx and began to swing at him with his axe. Onyx dodged but then got a surprise as Ifrit's entire left forearm became enveloped in ice before morphing into sharp claws, similar to when Mizore used her powers. "Take this!" Ifrit swung and slashed Onyx across the chest.

Onyx's armor managed to take the slash from Ifrit, but not without a burst of sparks from the impact. Even so, the claws had been pretty sharp, and had nearly pierced the suit. "Fine . . . if that's how you want it . . ." he muttered. He pulled out another card, this one specially given to him by Eubulon, for use only against the toughest of opponents. This guy, this Kamen Rider Ifrit, qualified as far as Onyx was concerned.

Ifrit could tell from Onyx's body language that the new card he'd just drawn would be powerful. He decided that it was to finish this fight. He fished out his pass and just as he was about to swipe it over his belt to execute his finisher, another voice was heard.

"Ryuji! Wait! Wait!" Onyx blinked as he saw a robed humanoid with a cloth mask, hood and a pair of horns sticking out of its forehead. He stood between Ifrit and Onyx, facing Onyx's opponent.

"Oi! Loki!" Ifrit snapped. "What's the big idea?"

"Ryuji, I just came to tell you not to fight this world's Rider," said Loki.

"Why's that?" Ifrit inquired.

"You should be making friends with other Riders, not enemies," Loki explained.

WHAP!

"Baka!" Ifrit yelled as Loki nursed a goose egg on his head. "I came here to become stronger, not make friends!"

Loki nodded and then turned to face Onyx. He bowed humbly. "My apologies for Ryuji's behavior, good sir."

"Um . . . who or what are you?" Onyx asked.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself," Loki realized. "I'm Ryuji's Imagin partner. You may call me Loki. As a token of our apology, have these cookies." He walked over to Onyx and presented him with a basket filled with chocolate chip cookies in his own image. "Please, take this as a sign that we only wish to be friends and –"

WHAP!

"Itai! Ryuji, what are you doing?" cried Loki as he nursed another goose egg.

"Baka, I should be asking you that!" Ifrit shouted. He then removed his belt and allowed his armor to disappear. It turned into shards that faded away before they hit the ground. "Che, you spoiled the mood. Come on, let's go." He turned and walked away with Loki following close behind.

Confused, Kamen Rider Onyx de-transformed as well, bright cracks forming in his armor before it was pulled off his body by a vertical ring of black energy that split into two. He picked up the basket of cookies and bit into one, nearly having an epileptic fit of joy at how good the cookie tasted. Checking his watch and noting that it'd still be a while before classes started, he went up to the rooftop of Yokai Academy and indulged himself.

_Wow, these are even better than Kurumu's cookies, _Adam thought. _Maybe I ought to share them with her . . . and Moka . . . and Mizore . . . and Yukari. _Smiling at the thought of him and the four girls he'd taken into his heart enjoying a basket of cookies together, he then remembered something the mysterious other Rider, Ifrit, had left behind.

Going back to the site of their confrontation, Adam found a photograph of a very beautiful girl with long dark hair and breasts that could have been as big as Kurumu's. Not that Adam would know; he wasn't an expert on women's bra sizes, nor did he want to be.

_Must be his girlfriend,_ he surmised. _Or his sister. Or cousin. Maybe._ If he found the other Rider again, he'd be sure to give him back the picture and thank his partner for the cookies. In the meantime, he had no choice but to go to class.

* * *

Elsewhere on Yokai Academy's campus, Ryuji sat at a cliff that overlooked the crimson-colored lake. He was eating some onigiri as he stared out at the lake.

_Ryuji, don't you feel lonely going on this training journey?_ Loki asked in Ryuji's mind.

"No, I don't," Ryuji answered before he took another bite. "I got you."

_Are you sure?_

"Yes, I'm fine! Now leave me alone so I can eat in peace!"

_It's just that, well . . . __don't you miss Kotonoha even a little?_

Ryuji stopped eating as he narrowed his eyes. "I can't go see her just yet. I'm not strong enough yet."

_She's going to be worried about you. She miss__es you_, Loki responded.

"I know, but I have to become stronger before I go see her again," answered Ryuji. He looked at his hand which was starting to turn grey with blue flames all over it. Dust was starting to fall off. "Che." He rubbed his hand against his jacket.

Ryuji did miss Kotonoha, a lot, but this was something he had to do. He had to become stronger and to do that he had to fight tough opponents. That was why he was here in Yokai Academy. With an entire student body made up of monsters, he was likely to have a really good fight. Unfortunately, up until now, none of his opponents were strong enough until he met Adam. "Hmph, never thought this place would have a Rider . . ." He reached into his jacket and then realized that something was missing. He searched himself. "It's gone . . . It's gone!"

* * *

When Adam came into class with a basket of cookies (fortunately, Ms. Nekonome was running late), Moka ran over to him and hugged his arm. "Adam, I thought you'd never get here!" She smelled a wonderful aroma and this time it wasn't Adam's blood. "Adam, where did you get those?"

"Well, I got these when . . ." began Adam but a chill alerted him of another presence. "Hey, Mizore."

"A-dam . . ." Mizore said as she got out from under a desk, smiling at him. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you, too."

* * *

The barrier around the school was meant to keep humans and other intruders out. However, that didn't mean that absolutely nothing could get in.

A demonic eye formed in the sky. It was completely black with a red iris and a thin pupil. Then, like a tear, something dropped out of the eye before it blinked out of existence.

The something that fell out of the eye was a woman, who was dressed in black jeans, matching combat boots and a t-shirt with torn sleeves. She had long dark hair that went down past her bottom and snow white skin. She also had curves that a model would kill for and a trim figure with long legs. However, her most distinctive feature had to be the iron hockey mask she wore over her face. It hid her face completely and the eye sockets seemed hollow, only revealing the glow of her crimson eyes.

"Hm . . . I wonder what this world has that's interesting." She snapped her fingers and her shadow expanded. Shortly afterwards, winged skeletal beings crawled out of her shadow and turned to face her in anticipation. "Spread out and then come back to me. Oh, and have dinner while you're at it. You all look famished." The beings hissed in affirmative before taking to the skies. "Now, I wonder if there's a virgin with a pure heart here. I'm feeling hungry."

* * *

Ryuji was relaxing in a hammock when his watch beeped. "Huh?" He looked at the face and saw it identify the creature that was nearby. The watch was made to locate them and it was programmed with data on the most dangerous ones. As a Rider, he used this to track his prey. Again, he would be using it to do the same. "Horrors, huh?"

_Ryuji, we__ have to go and defeat them posthaste!_ Loki called out to him.

"Yeah, I was feeling bored anyway."

* * *

Adam was on his way to lunch with the girls when he felt the photo he'd found slip out of his jacket pocket. Just as he'd picked it up and was about to put it back in his pocket, a sudden ringing in his mind interrupted him. '_No . . .'_

"Adam?" Yukari asked.

Not answering her, Adam slipped the photo back into his pocket and tore out of the school building, running where his danger sense directed him. As the ringing got more intense, he knew he was getting close . . . and when he got there, he saw monstrous winged skeletons attacking some girls who'd been having lunch outside. Immediately, he thrust his Advent Deck out, summoning the Advent Belt and locking the deck inside the empty slot that served as the belt buckle.

"Kamen Rider!"

The Onyx Deck whirred inside the buckle of the Advent Belt, generating a black energy sphere with dual rings spinning around Adam's body to form the Kamen Rider Onyx armor. This drew the attention of the skeletal horrors, as they immediately turned on him.

_FINAL VENT__._

Onyx launched himself into the air as Dragblacker flew behind him, breathing blue-black flame at him to boost the force of his kick, which cut a swath through the unholy creatures. The black dragon Rider landed on the ground, watching the burning remains of the skeletal monsters before he turned to the girls. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Y-yeah . . ." one of the girls stammered.

Onyx felt a chill run down his spine and he turned to see what looked like a dark-haired young woman in dark clothes and a grotesque hockey mask walking in his direction. "Who are you?" he asked. "Did you summon those things?"

A cold chuckle issued from the masked woman. "Yeah, I did. And let me guess, you're one of those do-gooder Kamen Riders that are going to try to stop me."

"Try?" Onyx repeated. "I _will_ stop you."

"The name's Sauron," the woman introduced herself. "I am the one who will leave this world in flames. And I think I'll start with you."

Just then, Ryuji entered the picture. "_You!_" he yelled, his voice thick with hatred.

"If it isn't Kamen Rider Ifrit," Sauron sneered. "It's like we're magnets for each other."

"Only because you keep trying to ruin our worlds," Ryuji shot back. "And it's not like I've got anything better to do than kick your ass all over the Multiverse."

Onyx noticed that the unusual belt that served as the medium for Ryuji's Kamen Rider transformation was now wrapped around his waist. Ryuji pulled out his train pass and swiped it over the dinosaur-styled buckle after pressing the white button on its side. "Henshin!"

"**TYRANO FORM!**" the belt called out.

Onyx drew a card from his Advent Belt, and bluish-black flames engulfed him, transforming his Visor into a dragon-styled gun. Opening the barrel, Onyx inserted the card, distinguishable by outstretched black wings on a violet background, into said barrel and then shut it tightly.

_SURVIVE MODE._

The black flames engulfed Onyx before dispersing to reveal that his chest armor had changed shape, taking on the form of a black dragon's snout with red pinprick lights acting as pupils. The visor of his mask took on golden highlights while sprouting twin antennae resembling those found on the heads of mythical dragons. The braces of his gauntlets and the greaves of his boots also developed golden highlights, albeit while their main parts turned silver. His Advent Deck also turned silver while the crest remained black, and smaller spikes grew out from under the protruding shoulders of his chest plate.

Ifrit's basic under-armor formed before additional white armor appeared around him. It then snapped onto his body before the visor slid over his helmet and locked onto his faceplate. The armor on his chest had a vertical stripe that resembled a gold zipper of sharp jaws while his shoulders resembled the heads of T-Rexes. His visor also sported sharp gold teeth.

"So, you both are gonna fight me. Very well . . ." Sauron hissed and then she let loose her power. Dark tendrils spread out from her mask to cover her entire head. The mask turned dark as the hollow eye holes turned blood red and horns sprouted out around the mask, forming a helmet. The dark tendrils from the mask wrapped around her body as well and formed an organic suit of dark armor. Red demonic eyes appeared to cover her breasts and there was also an eye in the centre of her breast, her shoulders, elbows and knees. Her fingers ended in sharp claws and a dark cape which was actually a pair of demonic wings hung from her back.

"Ikuze," said Ifrit coldly as he drew a weapon that Onyx had never seen before. It appeared to be a sword but it had no edge. Instead it had a long black and yellow striped rod with a rectangular box between the rod and the basket hilt. He then charged at Sauron, his movements so fast that he blurred and could only be seen as a white-and-black trail of light as he rushed his hated foe. The demoness was not impressed. She saw him coming and was able to block his strike as he came at her from behind.

Survive Onyx calmly activated his enhanced Sword Vent, which released a blade from his Visor similar to how a switchblade would be unfolded. He slashed at Sauron with his Visor blade, but Sauron just grabbed it and pulled him in for a brutal knee jab to his stomach. Onyx quickly recovered, sweeping his leg out to trip his foe, only for Sauron to grab his leg and throw him bodily over her head while swiping at his airborne form with her claws.

As Onyx came down, he swung his Visor blade at her, managing to cut off the ends of her claws if nothing else. As insignificant as that wound had been, it had rattled her just enough for Ifrit to score a more direct blow on her with his strange sword. Sauron gritted her teeth beneath her mask; it seemed Kamen Rider Onyx was only to be underestimated at his opponent's own peril. She'd have to treat him like an actual threat.

With a pulse of psychic force, she pushed Ifrit and Onyx away from her, the blast nearly crushing them to the ground. Both Riders sprang up to their feet, and Onyx slotted another Advent Card into his Visor. "We'll see how you like this."

_TRICK VENT__._

Onyx's image "unfolded" into three identical copies of him that all charged Sauron from multiple positions. Sauron just chuckled maliciously. "You think making more of you will change the outcome of this fight?" she taunted, before punching one Onyx so hard he flickered out of existence, revealing him to be a copy. "By simple process of elimination, I'll find the real you . . . and then I'll kill you."

The two remaining Onyxes attacked Sauron together, only for Sauron to block their Visor blades and strike them both down with a vicious slash from her claws. One Onyx flickered out of existence, while the other clutched his chest in pain before rolling away from Sauron's stomp-kick. He drew another Advent Card, but Sauron dashed up to his face and slashed him across his mask with enough force to knock him to the ground again.

Just as Onyx got up to confront Sauron again, Ifrit opened up the rectangular chamber on his weapon and put his pass inside before slamming it shut.

"**FULL POWER CHARGE!**" the rod-like sword called out before he pushed the chamber up to the tip and then pushed the rod over onto the hilt. It now looked like some sort of gun.

"Out of the way, Adam Taylor," ordered Ifrit as he took aim. A red flaming railroad track appeared under his feet and it stretched towards the darkly armored warriors. Onyx moved out of the way and Sauron saw Ifrit.

"Oh, shit," Sauron muttered. She tried to move but her feet were covered in ice and frozen to the spot.

"TYRANO EXPRESS SHOT!" Ifrit called out as he pulled the trigger. The weapon fired a burst of energy that took the form of a white bullet train that had the head of a T-Rex in front. The spectral train roared as it was engulfed in flames before it smashed right into Sauron.

"ARGH!" she cried out as she was engulfed by the explosion.

Ifrit hefted his weapon onto his shoulder and took a look around. Sauron was nowhere in sight. "She's gone."

* * *

Not all the Student Police members were expelled. One Toshiro Kaname was still a student. Even after the group was disbanded, he was still allowed to attend Yokai Academy since he was a very new recruit and wasn't involved in Adam's capture. He did, however, feel a deep-seated hatred for Adam Taylor for disbanding the group he wanted to be part of so badly.

As he was washing his hands in the boys' room, he felt a presence. Looking up, he saw someone standing behind him and spun around. The person grabbed his head and smashed him up against the mirror, causing it to spider web crack under the impact.

"You have so much anger and rage," Sauron said. "I think I'll use you." She opened her palm. Inside was a small pill. Actually, it was a seed, specifically a Horror Seed. Inside was a Horror and she was about to plant it into Kaname. "Now, say 'aah.'"

Kaname screamed.

* * *

"What's going on?" Adam asked, his Survive Mode having faded out before he dispelled the Kamen Rider armor. "Who was that woman? What were those things that went after those girls?"

"Her name's Sauron and she's bad news," Ryuji replied, also having de-transformed. "Those things were Horrors, spirits born out of the dark sides of human souls. They feed off the corruption in human hearts, making themselves stronger while slowly consuming the souls of those they possess. They also consume human flesh." He glared at Adam. "And you happen to have a faint smell of Horror on you. One didn't bleed on you, did they?"

"I was possessed once," Adam answered. "And he said, while he was controlling my body, that when the Riders had killed him, he was pulled into another dimension and its inhabitants made him one of them. He talked about those things like how you talked about the Horrors, that they were made up of the darkness in the hearts of all living things."

"You were possessed by a Horror, or something like it, and you're not dead?" Ryuji asked, somewhat skeptical.

"I don't know how it happened," Adam admitted. "I guess he used my guilt to get a foothold in my mind."

Guilt was something Ryuji was only too familiar with. He'd felt guilty for a lot of things, specifically the things he'd done when he'd controlled Ryuki's body, before he gained an existence of his own. He also felt guilty for not being human, for being something created from another's inner darkness. Kotonoha had helped him get over a lot of that, but it still stuck with him, and speaking of Kotonoha . . .

"You have something of mine," Ryuji spat at Adam.

"What are you talking about?" Adam asked.

"The picture, genius," Ryuji growled. "Hand it over now, and I won't wreck you too badly."

"You could have just asked nicely," Adam remarked, pulling the picture of Kotonoha out of his jacket pocket and giving it to Ryuji. "Who is she?"

"None of your business," Ryuji snapped as he snatched the picture away, although Adam detected protectiveness in the other Rider's tone, the same kind Adam felt for Moka, Kurumu, Yukari, and Mizore.

* * *

The next morning, Ms. Nekonome smiled at her class as she made her announcement. "I know it's very late in the semester but we have a new student joining us."

He entered. He wasn't dressed in the Yokai Academy uniform. Instead he wore a black blazer with matching pants, a white shirt and a red necktie. His long hair was braided and he wore glasses over his eyes.

"This is Ryuji Hasuma," Ms. Nekonome introduced. "Is there anything you'd like to tell the class, Hasuma-kun?"

"No," he answered curtly.

Ms. Nekonome sweat-dropped. "Well then, um . . . please take the empty seat over there." She was referring to the empty seat that once belonged to Saizo. Ryuji nodded and went over before taking his seat. There seemed to be a cold chill coming off Ryuji, causing the other students to shiver. Adam turned to stare at Ryuji who ignored him in favor of a book, leaving the Rider from Ventara to wonder what the other Rider was doing in the school.

* * *

After class was over, Adam walked out, only to feel a familiar chill in the air. "Mizore."

"Who is she?" Mizore asked, her voice carrying a trace of jealousy. She was obviously referring to the photo from yesterday.

"The new kid's girlfriend," Adam replied. "I think. He dropped her photo after we ran into each other and I was holding onto it for when I saw him again so I could give it back."

"Ok," Mizore said, feeling that Adam was telling the truth.

"Her boobs are just as big as mine!" Kurumu squealed with jealous ire. "But I bet they're not softer than mine!" To prove it, she pulled Adam into her chest, muffling whatever protest Adam could have come up with.

"I haven't even met this girl!" Adam tried to yell. "How am I supposed to know how soft her breasts are?" Unfortunately for him, it all came out so muffled it didn't even sound sensible. At that moment, though, salvation came in the form of a basin that dropped on Kurumu's head, disorienting her enough for Adam to pull out of her grip.

"Keep your boobs to yourself!" Yukari shouted. "Adam is mine and Moka's! No big-boobed tart is going to seduce him away from us!"

Judging by the chill in the air that Adam sensed, it probably wasn't a good idea for Yukari to use the words "big-boobed tart," especially since the young man striding toward them had gotten the impression that she was referring to his girlfriend. "Uh-oh," he murmured. Before the carnage could begin, he moved in front of that young man, Ryuji Hasuma, to block his path to Yukari. "Hey, can we talk outside?"

"Sure," Ryuji answered coldly, following Adam up to the rooftop of Yokai Academy.

* * *

Up on the rooftop, the two Riders started to talk.

"What are you still doing here?" Adam asked.

"I have my reasons," Ryuji answered.

"Do they involve Sauron?"

"Somewhat."

Adam narrowed his eyes. "OK, first you attack me and then you help me. Whose side are you on anyway?"

"My own," Ryuji answered simply.

"You're not much of a talker, are you?" Adam asked.

Ryuji silently turned away but then sand poured out of his body only to reform into Loki. "Greetings, Mr. Taylor."

Adam blinked. "Loki?"

"Oi, Loki! I thought I told you not to come out!" Ryuji snapped at his partner.

"Ryuji, I think Mr. Taylor deserves to know our intentions here in this world," said Loki.

"This world?" Adam repeated and then he realized it. "You're both from another world, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's right," Ryuji answered, crossing both arms over his chest. "Got a problem with that?"

"So, where did you get your Rider System?" Adam asked.

"From a friend of a friend. Actually, you can call him my boss," answered Ryuji.

Loki added, "Ryuji's part of a group of heroes that journey through the Multiverse to fight evil."

'_Just like me_,' thought Adam. "So, are you still here because Sauron's still around?"

"Yeah, she's still around," answered Ryuji. "I can still smell her stench. That's why I'm here. I'm supposed to defeat her."

"So far she's been in every world we've gone to," Loki continued.

"What exactly does she want?" Adam asked.

"To plunge the Multiverse into eternal darkness for herself and her Horrors," Ryuji and Loki answered.

Adam felt a chill. That didn't sound good. "So, why did you fight me yesterday?"

"To prove my strength, of course," said Ryuji.

"Prove your strength. What for?"

Loki was about to answer but Ryuji grabbed his horns and dragged him away. "None of your business."

"It's for that girl in the photo, isn't it?"

Ryuji didn't answer. He just continued walking, dragging Loki behind him who apologized profusely for Ryuji's actions.

* * *

For lunch, Loki had prepared for Ryuji a really huge amount of food and put them in a stacked lunch box. There were 5 stacks of food. The stack at the bottom contained rice, the second stack contained shrimp tempura, the third stack contained vegetable salad, the fourth stack contained onigiri and finally the 5th stack contained omelette.

He ate alone in the cafeteria when Adam spotted him and walked over to him, carrying his lunch with him. "Hey, why don't you eat with me and my friends?" Adam suggested to Ryuji.

"I'm not here to make friends, Adam Taylor. I'm only here to fight," Ryuji answered coldly.

Adam frowned before returning to the girls. As he sat and watched Ryuji, he saw several students surround the lone boy. They looked like 3rd years. They spoke a few words to Ryuji who responded with a shrug before he followed them out.

These 3rd year students were a few of the people Ryuji had defeated while looking for a strong opponent. They weren't very pleased when Ryuji had beaten them without assuming his true form. They were going to fix this.

"OK, newbie! Show us your true form!" one of the five demanded.

Ryuji gritted his teeth. He then grinned. "So, you want to see my true form, huh?" His face began to show strange markings. "Don't regret it!"

His entire body became engulfed in blue flames and then when it dispersed he was in his true form. His entire body was covered from head to toe in grey and white organic armor with tuffs of fur around the elbows, shoulders, wrists, knees, ankles and around the waist. His fingers and toes sported claws and he had spikes protruding from his forearms and shoulders. He had a face like a wolf's with long and sharp fangs and a mane that was like a lion's with long ears. On his head he had long and sharp horns.

He unleashed a roar and the blue flames around him fanned out, catching the other students by surprise as they were enveloped. It was at that moment that Adam and the girls arrived, seeing Ryuji in his true form and his assailants enveloped in ice. He let out a breath of blue flames before reverting to human form.

"As you can see, I'm not human," said Ryuji. "Are you surprised, Adam Taylor?"

"I'm surrounded by people who aren't human," Adam answered dryly. Seriousness crept into his tone as he spoke the next sentence. "And sometimes, they make me ask myself who the real monsters are."

"I fight to be the strongest of all Riders for her," Ryuji answered Adam's earlier question. "Even after she saw me in my true form, even after she saw my claws and fangs, she wasn't frightened at all. She didn't even reject me once she discovered my sin. Do you know how hard it is to find someone to accept you unconditionally?"

"More than you think," Adam muttered, remembering the black hole of despair he'd become following his betrayal of the Kamen Riders and Ventara, and the revelation that he had _still_ been working for Xaviax despite his "pretensions" toward rejoining the Riders' side. "More than you think."

"I used to hate humans," Ryuji continued. "They're selfish, greedy, and always reject anything that's different from them, but then . . . I met her." He paused before finishing his speech. "That's why I became a Rider. So I can protect her, and in order to keep doing that I must become the strongest Rider of them all." His lips twitched into a smirk. "Adam Taylor, we were interrupted before. Let us continue, shall we?"

He pressed the blue button on his belt and swiped the pass over the buckle.

"Henshin!"

"**TRICERA FORM!**"

The armor that covered Ryuji this time was blue, with the left shoulder in the shape of a triceratops' head. His helmet now sported a green visor that was bisected by a horn and. There was also a horn on each side of the green visor. The triceratops head then slid down his left arm and locked onto his fist. He aimed it at Adam, revealing that the triceratops head had a pair of gun barrels hidden inside.

"Transform," Ifrit commanded.

"Fine," Adam conceded, pulling out his Advent Deck and calling forth the belt that would house it and activate his Rider transformation. "Kamen Rider!" Once transformed, he slotted an Advent Card and closed his Visor to call forth his weapon.

_SWORD VENT._

Immediately, the black Drag Saber fell into his hands, granted by Dragblacker. "Why do we even have to do this? We're on the same side!"

"One who does not fight will not survive," Ifrit retorted before shooting at Onyx, who alternately dodged the blasts and blocked them with his sword. "You're pretty fast."

"No, you're just slow," Onyx taunted. If he was going to be forced to fight, he might as well anger his opponent enough to get him off his game.

"Maybe," said Ifrit as he formed a sword as a gold aura surrounded him. "But I have more tricks. Like this! Jigokuha!" A golden aura flared out from Ifrit's body before taking the form of a horned wolf-like beast and shooting at Onyx with a loud roar.

_STRIKE VENT__._

Directed by Onyx's black Drag Claw, Dragblacker exhaled a blast of dark flame to burn through the aura beast coming after him. To Onyx's surprise, Ifrit charged through the smoke and flames created from the collision between their powers and swung at Onyx with his sword. This time, Onyx blocked Ifrit's sword with his black Drag Saber and slammed his knee into Ifrit's stomach.

Kicking away from Ifrit, Onyx rebounded. "If you're not going to hold back, why should I?"

_SURVIVE MODE._

Transforming into the enhanced armor provided by Survive Mode, Onyx slotted an Advent Card into his new Visor.

_SHOOT VENT._

Immediately, the enhanced Dragblacker – Dragblanzer – flew into position behind Onyx, almost seeming to stand on its tail. With a point of his Visor, Onyx directed Dragblanzer to open fire upon Ifrit. Open fire Dragblanzer did, with a storm of black flame aimed at Ifrit.

Ifrit grunted as he was being fired upon but was undeterred. He aimed the Tricera-Buster at Onyx and returned fire with several bursts of energy. The flame blasts and energy bursts collided, resulting in mid-air explosions. Ifrit then closed the distance between them and slashed Onyx across the chest.

"Take this!" Ifrit roared as the air around them chilled, forming big icicles in the air. With a flick of his wrists he sent the icicles flying at Onyx, who quickly slotted another Advent Card.

_GUARD VENT__._

Dragblanzer coiled around Onyx, the black dragon's metal body shielding Onyx from the icicles. Once all the icicles had been deflected, Dragblanzer uncoiled from Onyx, freeing the black dragon Rider to release his Drag Blade and attack Ifrit with fast, repeated slashes. Ifrit managed to block most of them, but Onyx was coming at him so hard that some of his strikes made it through Ifrit's defenses.

"Not bad," Ifrit remarked.

_TRICK VENT__._

Onyx split into three identical copies, all of them slashing at Ifrit from different angles. Ifrit growled and punched the ground, sending the copies flying with ice spikes that suddenly shot out. Then, he reformed the ice spikes into ice clones of himself before he opened fire on the real Onyx, who dodged the shots that he couldn't block with his Visor blade.

As Ifrit and Onyx battled, so did their copies, which scurried around the battlefield as they clashed against one another. They were almost evenly matched; for every Ifrit clone an Onyx clone managed to take down, those same Onyx clones met their end at an Ifrit clone's hands. Eventually, it was just the real Kamen Rider Onyx versus the real Kamen Rider Ifrit.

"Time to finish this," Onyx growled. Just as he drew his Final Vent card and was about to slot it, his Survive Mode burned out, leaving him back in the basic black Kamen Rider armor. While this would cost him some extra attack power, he was sure the power of his basic Final Vent would still be enough.

_FINAL VENT._

Ifrit took out his Dyno Pass and swiped it over his belt buckle.

"**FULL CHARGE!**"

Just as Dragblacker launched Onyx towards Ifrit, Ifrit launched himself into the air as energy raced from the belt and into the Tricera-Buster. He then threw his left fist at Onyx just as the other Rider was rocketing straight towards him in a plume of black flames.

A flying punch met a flying kick with explosive force, sending both Riders soaring backwards in opposite directions. The force of the impact also forced them out of their armors as Ryuji's belt and Adam's Advent Deck fell to the ground seconds before their owners did.

It ended in a draw.

"Kuso . . ." Ryuji cursed as he painfully rose to his feet, standing unsteadily as he clutched his left arm. It was throbbing from the impact. He then stared as his left hand turned grey and blue flames rose from it as ashes fell from his fingertips. He then walked away.

* * *

The school was abuzz with the news (and rumors) of the climactic fight between the two similar and yet opposite Kamen Riders that were among its student body.

"Did you hear?" one student whispered to another.

"Hear what? About Adam and the new kid getting into a fight?"

"Yeah! They wiped the floor with each other!"

"Wow, I didn't think there was anybody who could do that to him."

"This Ryuji guy must be really tough if he can do that to Adam!"

"It's like the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny! Two really tough guys facing off against each other to determine who the strongest is. It's awesome!"

"Did any of you even see what happened?"

"I tried, but the fight was too intense. I didn't wanna get killed."

"You wuss!"

"I was close enough to see them use their finishing moves on each other; Adam's was a kick and Ryuji's was a punch. It was so epic I thought they'd destroy the universe if they collided!"

"And yet we're still here."

"You know what I mean!"

"Only because I'm smarter than you."

"Asshole!"

"Hey, let's not be slinging profanities around."

* * *

Loki was tending to Ryuji's injuries, despite Ryuji's insistence that he was fine. "Ryuji, I don't know why you insist on fighting everybody you see."

"Because I want to," Ryuji answered stoically. "Because I have to. If I don't fight, how am I going to be strong enough to be with Koto-chan?"

"Except Onyx isn't an enemy," Loki observed. "He hasn't done anything to even suggest he's an enemy . . . and frankly, I think he understands what you mean about feeling like a monster more than you think he does."

"He's just a human," Ryuji muttered. "How's he supposed to know?"

"Humans themselves can be very inhuman," Loki reminded his partner. "You know that better than most, and that boy holds great guilt inside him, perhaps to the same degree that you hold yours."

Ryuji remembered Adam's response to his question about how difficult it was to find someone who could love a man in spite of his crimes, his sins, his failures: _"More than you think."_ Specifically, he remembered the shame and self-loathing in the other Rider's voice when he'd spoken, because it was exactly how he'd felt before meeting Kotonoha – and sadly sometimes, even after.

"Maybe the two of you aren't so different," Loki mused aloud.

Ryuji didn't answer except for one word: "Urusai."

* * *

Meanwhile, Adam was in the infirmary getting fussed over by Moka and the other girls. "Moka, girls! I'm fine!" he insisted, despite the limp he'd gotten from his Rider Kick colliding with Ryuji's Rider Punch.

"He's gone too far!" Kurumu declared angrily.

"Yeah, where does he get off beating you up like that?" Yukari asked indignantly.

"I'm going to kill him," Mizore murmured, her tone low and threatening.

"Mizore, you can't," Adam protested.

"Why not? He hurt you," Mizore answered. "Nobody should hurt you."

"It was a test of honor between Riders," Adam explained. "And he didn't do it because he hates me or wants to hurt me. There's someone he's doing it for, someone he wants to get stronger for so he can protect her and be with her. I can understand that, being willing to go that far for someone . . ." He trailed off sadly, recalling his relationship with Sarah and his feelings for the girls that comprised his unofficial harem.

"But Adam!" Moka protested. "He nearly killed you!"

Adam just smiled slightly. "I've been through worse. I can walk off a limp like this in a day or two." At that moment, though, the familiar ring resounded in his mind. "Trouble."

"Mr. Taylor, I'd recommend that you stay here until you've fully recovered," the nurse said.

"Can't," Adam replied simply as he focused all his energy into the healing technique Eubulon had taught him. He felt the painful stiffness in his leg fade away, just enough for that leg to be serviceable in the fight ahead. He picked up his Advent Deck from the stand beside his cot and walked out of the infirmary, the girls following him.

* * *

Ryuji's watch beeped, prompting him to sniff the air. "A Horror."

"Ryuji, you're still hurt," said Loki as he tried to keep Ryuji from going.

"Loki, I heal fast, now come on! There's a Horror loose!"

"Hai, Ryuji . . ."

* * *

Students fled as they ran to get away from the demon that had suddenly appeared in the hallways. It was a Horror. The Horror resembled a humanoid porcupine with a pig's snout and sharp claws. On its back were sharp quills. It also had red eyes. It was naked from the waist up but from the waist down it looked like it was wearing pants.

The Porcupine Horror wasn't alone, however. It was accompanied by the lesser horrors that resembled winged skeletal demons. Students had fallen under the assault of the Horror's quills. It let loose a howl of triumph.

Meanwhile, Sauron was watching her new Horror doing its work. Turning one of the students into a Horror was simply genius. She'd just turned a monster into an even more dangerous monster.

Adam and Ryuji got to the Horror at about the same time. "Let's work," Adam challenged the porcupine-like beast.

"YOU!" the beast roared with pure hatred in his voice before charging at the two Riders, who both dodged him before initiating their transformations. When the Horror went after Adam again, the black energy sphere that shielded the Ventaran Rider during his change forcefully repelled him.

"Sounds like he knows you," Ryuji, transformed into Kamen Rider Ifrit Saber Form, commented.

"Too bad I don't know him," Adam, now Kamen Rider Onyx, answered.

The girls had caught up with Adam, and found themselves staring down the Horror. Kurumu glared at Ifrit, who merely ignored her. He did notice a chill in the air, though, sort of like what he could do when provoked, and traced it to Mizore's icy stare. Clearly, neither girl was willing to forgive him for what he'd done to their precious Rider.

_SWORD VENT._

Calling the black-bladed dao into his hand, Onyx pointed it at the Horror. "You want me, gruesome? Then come and get me!" He turned around and ran. Ifrit wondered what the other Rider was doing for a split second, and then he figured that Onyx was probably the type to at least try to minimize collateral damage. The school _did _have some open fields surrounding it where they could fight without damaging anything worthwhile, or hurting any of the other students or teachers.

Ifrit followed the girls who were chasing the Horror that was chasing Onyx. He wasn't going to be left out of this fight, and Horror meant Sauron, meaning it was more his business than Onyx's, anyway. Not that it was his world, but it was still his business. Catching up, he found Onyx and the Horror doing battle outside the school walls, Onyx using his Drag Saber to deflect the Horror's quills. Attempting to get close, though, yielded less fortunate results like those same quills embedding themselves in his armor.

Ifrit drew his own personal weapons, the twin Ifrit Dao, and moved into the fray, managing to slice off several of the Horror's quills. The Horror roared in pain and bestial rage before directing his attention toward the other Rider, who just pressed on with equal ferocity despite his injuries from the fight with Onyx not having completely healed.

_STRIKE VENT__._

"Get out of the way, Ifrit!" Onyx shouted, and Ifrit heeded his advice shortly before Onyx directed a wave of black flame from Dragblacker at the Horror, who simply charged through it, so great his rage was toward the dragon Rider.

_GUARD VENT__._

The black Drag Shield, resembling Dragblacker's underside, attached to Onyx's arms and he raised it to block the Horror's charge. "What's your problem with me, anyway?"

"USURPER!" the Horror screamed. "You took everything from me!"

"Mind explaining that in full detail?" Onyx asked. "I don't know you. At all."

"Bastard!" the Horror roared. "You mock me! You take everything from me and then you mock me! DAMN YOU!"

The pain in the Horror's voice gave Onyx pause. _Great, I've ruined someone else's life here. That must have been how Sauron got to this kid in the first place. Even now, even here, all I do is destroy._

"Throw the pity party later!" Ifrit snapped, having just shifted to Tyrano Form, although whether it was meant for Onyx or the Horror was unknown. With lightning-like bursts of speed, Ifrit attacked the Horror, pummeling him again and again from varying angles with mere seconds in between each strike.

When Ifrit stopped moving, the T-Rex-shaped shoulders of his armor had moved to his fists and red blades were clutched within the jaws. He resumed his attack on the Horror, only this time he was slashing at the porcupine-like beast with the red blades extending from the armor on his fists. The beast roared hatefully and slashed Ifrit with his claws.

That was when Onyx moved in, slashing at the Horror with his black Drag Saber. To his surprise, the Horror seemed to be looking past him – right at the girls that were watching the fight. "No!" Onyx yelled. "No, you _don't!_" With a surge of righteous fury, Onyx slashed at the Horror repeatedly, his strikes growing in speed and ferocity and pushing the Horror back.

"I can take something from you now . . ." the Horror snarled, just before firing his quills . . . and they weren't aimed for Onyx.

When Ifrit saw the spikes flying straight towards Yukari, he suddenly had a flashback to Kokoro, Kotonoha's little sister. Throwing caution to the wind he rushed towards her and pushed her aside before . . .

He himself was struck by the flying spikes that pierced into his body from behind, even through his Rider armor. He found blood welling up in his mouth as Yukari stared at him. "Damn . . ." he grunted. That had actually hurt. Immediately, blue flames spewed from his wounds, healing them.

Yukari just looked at Ifrit, stunned that the same guy who'd hurt Adam had gone out of his way to save her. The other girls were stunned as well, but it quickly turned to rage at what the Horror had intended to do. Immediately, the temperature began to drop towards subzero, as Mizore's ice claws formed over her hands. Kurumu's eyes literally glowed with fury as her wings, tail, and claws revealed themselves.

"You . . . are going to pay for what you just tried," Mizore vowed with cold anger in her voice, as she and Kurumu went on the attack. Yukari backed them up by using her magic to turn her tarot cards into razor-sharp projectiles that stabbed the Horror. The Porcupine Horror howled out.

"MISTRESS!" the Porcupine Horror called.

"Must I do everything myself?" Sauron asked herself as she appeared out of nowhere. She stared at the girls. "Hmph, this won't take long." She snapped her fingers, assuming her demonic armored form. "Take this!" she hurled an energy ball at them but then Ifrit jumped in and took the attack for them, shielding them. He howled as he was sent hurling backwards, his armor shattering in the process as he bounced along the ground before skidding along it.

"Kuso . . ." he grunted as he started to pick himself up.

"Always trying to play the hero, huh, Nobody?" Sauron asked.

"Heh!" Ryuji laughed painfully as he stood back up. "It's who I am." Sand spilled out of his body and reformed into Loki. "Loki!"

Loki shot fireballs at Sauron from his palms. She just deflected them with a wave of her hands. "You're nothing like Ryuki, Nobody. Stop pretending to be what you're not."

"Whatever he is, he just risked his life for us!" Moka yelled. "How dare you call him nobody!"

Sauron laughed. "You silly little girl. I can't believe you're supposed to be a vampire. I've seen kittens with more ferocity than you."

"Time to finish this," Onyx snarled.

_FINAL VENT__._

Dragblacker emerged from the sky and coiled around Onyx as the black Rider straightened up, lifted into the air by the dark aura his partner dragon was emitting. With a powerful exhalation of dark flame, Dragblacker sent Onyx flying at Sauron, his leg outstretched for a powerful kick. However, Sauron just switched places with the Porcupine Horror, and Onyx's Dark Dragon Rider Kick crashed through the creature, incinerating him.

"Who was he?" Onyx asked Sauron. "And what did you do to him?"

"So much concern for someone who tried to kill you and your little girlfriends," Sauron mocked him. "If you must know, he's someone you wronged a little while back. He had such high hopes and dreams, and because of you, he couldn't fulfill them."

"_Who was he?_" Onyx repeated angrily.

"I don't see any need to tell you all those details," Sauron replied, just as the demonic ghost train known as the HorrorLiner showed itself, along with several winged skeletons that he knew as minion Horrors. "I just want you to spend your last minutes in agony."

Onyx immediately pulled Moka's rosary off her, which Sauron noticed, smirking as the powerful demonic aura rose from her. "Oh? You're relying on your girlfriend to do your fighting for you?"

"Let's just say delegation works best in some cases," Onyx retorted with a smirk.

"So, Kamen Rider, you bring me out for this?" Inner Moka asked, her red eyes lit with dark amusement.

Sauron looked to Moka's true form. "Ah, lovely. Simply lovely. That dark power is truly something amazing to behold!" She produced a demonic-looking katana and then scraped the tip on the ground, causing sparks. "Your blood will taste delicious, I bet!"

"You're not going to touch her!" Onyx started, calling his Drag Saber. He lunged at Sauron, only for his attack to be blocked by Sauron's katana.

"Why do you care so much for this girl?" Sauron asked. "You're just a human. She isn't. Shouldn't the two of you be at each other's throats?"

"Believe it or not, I've seen too much to be afraid of someone just because they're not human," Onyx retorted, slashing at Sauron. "And besides . . . I love her."

Inner Moka had just the barest hint of a smile on her face. "It's true. As far as suitors go, he's not a bad sort. Human, yes, but far from a weakling."

Sauron barked out a harsh laugh, and a malicious grin formed on her masked face. "Love? Between a human and a monster? You've gotta be kidding me! You're just like Nobody over there, playing in your own little world where everybody can coexist in peace no matter what they are! You deluded little fool!"

She teleported on top of her HorrorLiner, the twisted grin still on her face. "Humans and monsters living together in peace? Coexistence? What a joke! This school is a joke! THIS WHOLE SCHOOL SHOULD BE WIPED OUT!"

**BAM!**

All of a sudden, another train bashed against the side of the HorrorLiner, nearly knocking it out of the sky. The engine car resembled a red woolly mammoth. Two bullet trains were also attached to it. The first had the head of a T-Rex and the second had the head of a Triceratops.

* * *

Ryuji smiled as he saw the train. It was his personal time-travelling train, the DynoLiner. "So, it came." He had already healed from his injuries. "Loki, let's go," said Ryuji as he gripped his Dyno Pass.

"Yes, Ryuji," nodded Loki as he clutched the Ifrit Pass.

"Henshin!" the two partners called out as they activated their belts. Ryuji locked his pass in between the jaws of his belt buckle as Loki locked his into the hollow slot in front.

"**DYNO FORM!"**

"**LOKI FORM!"**

Ryuji's base armor formed before the additional armor pieces came. The chest armor came from Mammoth Form while the shoulder armor came from Tyrano Form and Tricera Form. The triceratops' head locked into place on his left shoulder as the T-Rex head locked onto the right. Finally, his Saber Form DenKamen locked onto his faceplate.

Loki also gained armor similar to Ryuji's. It was red with a gold stripe running down the middle of the chest. The red gauntlets also sported gold bands around the wrists. A black cape hung from his back and locking into place on his helmet's faceplate was his DenKamen which sported a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Ikuze, Kamen Rider Loki," Ifrit said to his partner.

"Hai!" Loki summoned his weapon, a dozuki-like sword with a flaming aura around it. He rushed at the Horrors, slicing them to ribbons with his blade. The flames also served to incinerate them in the process.

Ifrit took off two black bars from his belt and put them together before tossing them up. He froze a couple of Horrors and smashed them to pieces before taking the last two bars from his belt and then putting them together with the two connected pieces as they came down. A blue jagged blade extended, making a sword.

He jumped onto the HorrorLiner and asked, "A love between a human and monster is a joke, you say? Maybe it is, but that doesn't mean it's impossible!"

Sparks flew as their blades collided. "You and I both know what humans are like! The reasons my Horrors exist is because of the dark side of humanity!"

"True, humans aren't perfect but they never are. Monsters like us might be stronger but we're no better than that," said Ifrit. He leapt off the HorrorLiner and landed next to Onyx. "Hey!"

"Yeah?" Onyx responded.

Ifrit asked, "Have you ever piloted a train before?"

"Not in this lifetime," the Ventaran answered.

"Well, now's your chance. I need someone to drive while I take down Queen Bitch up there! Hop in!" He turned to Loki. "Loki, you take care of the Horrors and watch out for Onyx's girls."

"OK, Ryuji!" Loki answered.

Onyx jumped into the DynoLiner and settled himself on the Machine DynoBreaker. "A train controlled by a motorcycle. Neat. Let's ride."

Ifrit jumped upon the engine car and shouted, "LET'S GO!"

The Mammoth trumpeted as it raced up towards the HorrorLiner.

"DIE, RIDERS!" Sauron roared.

The flying trains roared as they sped towards each other before crashing head first together. They pushed against one another. Atop the engine cars were Sauron and Ifrit who were locked in combat. Sparks flew as blades met while they exchanged strikes. Then, the two trains went in opposite directions, grinding against each other as their respective owners leapt into the air and continued to do battle. Sparks flew as steel clashed in mid-air. They began to plummet but they didn't care. All they cared about was fighting.

The two safely landed upon their respective trains which then started to exchange firepower. The horns on the HorrorLiner's skull face fired energy bolts at the DynoLiner. The DynoLiner returned fire with energy bolts of its own. Explosions erupted in the air as the two trains continued to blast at each other.

The DynoLiner then performed a turn and the HorrorLiner gave chase. The eyes covering the passenger cars fired at the retreating DynoLiner. Before long, both trains were side by side and bashing against each other. Atop both trains Sauron and Ifrit continued to fight with all their strength.

Inside the DynoLiner, Onyx was piloting with the skill of an expert motorcyclist. Even so, the HorrorLiner was a particularly unrelenting opponent to race against, especially as driven by Sauron's malice.

"Does this thing have any other weapons?" Onyx asked. The HUD in front of him then responded, giving him a full list of the train's abilities. "OK, the one I'm in has tusks that can fire energy bolts and the trunk is a cannon that can fire ice blasts. The tyrannosaurus train has a flamethrower and the triceratops train can fire lasers from its horns." He then pressed a button that was on the bike. "OK, separate!"

The clamps connecting all three trains snapped open and the Tyrano and Tricera separated from the Mammoth. They all attacked independently. The Tyrano breathed fire at the HorrorLiner as the Tricera fired lasers from its horns. The Mammoth trumpeted and fired bursts of ice energy at the HorrorLiner which retaliated with blasts from the horns on its head.

Meanwhile, Ifrit and Sauron were still exchanging blows as their weapons clashed. "You will never be with that girl of yours! You'll die right here!" she screeched.

"That's what you said the last time!" Ifrit shot back. "And I don't see that happening anytime soon!"

"Damn you!" Sauron attempted to take Ifrit's head off but he ducked before running her through with his DynoGasher sword. "Ugh!" she grunted.

Ifrit tapped his foot on the roof of the DynoLiner Mammoth with his foot, "Hey, Onyx! Get up here! We're gonna execute something called a Double Rider Kick!"

"Sounds like fun!" Onyx shouted back, remembering doing such a thing with Price once or twice. He jumped onto the roof of the Mammoth car and slotted a card into his Drag Visor as Ifrit pressed the buttons on his belt in a certain order.

_FINAL VENT__._

"**CHARGE AND UP!**"

Energy flowed from Ifrit's roaring belt buckle and moved down to his feet.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" screeched Sauron as she jumped off her train and lunged at them.

"DOUBLE RIDER KICK!" Ifrit called out before he and Onyx leapt off from the train's roof.

Their Rider Kicks crashed into Sauron, Onyx's charged by black flame and Ifrit's by pure energy, Onyx coming down on the opposite side of Sauron when it was over. "You're done here, Sauron."

Sauron rose to her feet, her mask cracking, as she growled furiously, "Damn you . . . Damn you . . . CURSE YOU, KAMEN RIDERS!" The HorrorLiner raced past and picked her up before flying into a dark portal in the sky. The Horrors also followed.

* * *

The two Riders stood on the ground, back-to-back. Ifrit said, "I heard what you said about loving vampire girl over there. Guess Loki was right. You and I aren't so different."

"That girl in the picture. She's human too, isn't she?" asked Onyx.

"Yes, and she proved to me that humanity isn't as corrupt as I was led to believe," Ifrit told him.

Ifrit removed his belt, causing his armor to shatter off and vanish. Ryuji sighed as he checked for the train tickets he had in his possession and realized he only had one left. He looked at it. It was the ticket for Kotonoha's home world. He realized, "I see. Guess it's time to go home."

"Don't be a stranger," Onyx said, dispelling his armor to reveal seemingly ordinary Adam. "You can come by any time you feel like it. I'm sure you'll get along well with the other Riders here."

Ryuji remarked, "Maybe I can bring Koto-chan here too." His stomach growled. "That fight really gave me an appetite."

"Ryuji!" Loki called, his own armor deactivated as well. "If you're hungry, I can make you something!"

"Sounds good," replied Ryuji. He turned to Adam. "You want to join? You can even invite your friends over there to eat with us."

"Ryuji!" Loki hugged him. "I'm so glad that you're being friendly."

"Oi!" Ryuji snapped. "Loki, stop! Get off me! You're embarrassing me!" He managed to get Loki off before smacking his head. "Baka!" He adjusted his jacket.

Adam smiled. "Nice friend you have there. Hold onto him."

Just then, Inner Moka, Kurumu, Yukari, and Mizore made it over to them. Inner Moka looked at Ryuji curiously. "You're a strange one. You attack Adam twice, and then you work with him to save this school and you protect Yukari. Why?"

"You reminded me of the people I actually care about," he answered.

Kurumu was about to say something, but Adam raised his hand to cut her off. "He'll tell us more when he's ready," he said. "Believe me, I know."

Inner Moka looked at Adam expectantly, and Adam pulled the rosary out of his jacket pocket and gave it back to her. "A shame. I would have enjoyed showing that woman her place." She locked the rosary back into position around her neck, and her demonic aura receded, turning her hair bubblegum pink and her eyes bright emerald green as a more innocent look settled on her face.

"So how about it?" Adam asked the girls. "Wanna let bygones be bygones and go eat with him?"

"I'll be watching him," Mizore replied tonelessly. "He can't get away with touching you like that."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Kurumu added.

"Guess I could, just to say thanks for saving my life," Yukari said.

"That'd be pretty nice, actually," Outer Moka answered.

"Then it's agreed," Adam said, turning to Ryuji. "We're coming with you for lunch."

* * *

The group was on the roof with Loki standing at a grill. He was barbecuing shish kabobs. "I hope you enjoy these and don't be shy! I've made plenty for all!" He always loved picnics and barbecues too. Why not put both things together? There was also a cooler with cold soda inside.

Loki even served cookies. He loved to bake his Loki Cookies and loved to see people enjoying them more.

"It already smells great," stated Ryuji. "Hope you're using the Cy-B-Q sauce!"

"Of course!" Loki replied.

"Is there something I ought to know?" Adam asked.

"Inside joke," Loki replied.

"Wow, these cookies are good!" Kurumu rejoiced. "They're as good as mine!"

"Yeah, that's how I felt when I first ate one," Adam agreed.

"I think they're better than yours," Yukari said.

"Why you little –!" Kurumu started to yell.

"They don't have love potion in them like yours does to make Adam your sex slave!" Yukari declared. "After all, he's mine and Moka's."

Ryuji just looked confused. Adam just shrugged and said, "You get used to it."

Ryuji leaned forward and whispered, "You'd better not be playing games with all these girls. I know a guy who did something like that. It didn't turn out so good for him, or any of the girls he messed around with."

Adam shuddered quietly, knowing full well what Ryuji was getting at, even if he didn't know the exact details. It was something he'd struggled with ever since meeting all of the girls. It was true that he loved Moka, but he also felt a pull toward Mizore and Kurumu, albeit in different ways. With Mizore, he wanted to tell her that she was loved, or at least wanted, and make it so that she never had to shed another tear except out of happiness. With Kurumu, he appreciated her loyalty, not just to him but to the other girls as well; her capacity to love and care about other people, even her so-called rivals in love, drew him to her, made him think that even a bastard like him could be saved by her love. And Yukari was like a little sister to him, a _perverted_ little sister who wanted to get into her big brother's pants, but a little sister nonetheless.

Then Ryuji surprised him by slapping him on the back. "Well, you'll figure it out. Somehow, I don't think you're like that other guy at all."

"This other guy . . ." began Adam. "How exactly is he related to you?"

"Hm?" Ryuji answered, "He's my girlfriend's ex."

"Well, that explains the grudge," Yukari remarked. "A man's jealousy is a hideous thing."

Ryuji explained, "They were dating, but then he cheated on her with her best friend and had the nerve to lie about it. When she found out . . . her heart was broken and I just couldn't stand and watch her suffer." He paused, gathering his courage before going on.

Kurumu felt her heart melting at the sadness in Ryuji's tone. Aside from attacking Adam twice, he didn't seem like such a bad guy, especially considering that he wouldn't sound so pissed if he didn't care about the girl.

"As much as I want to kill him for what he did to her, it would just make her cry," Ryuji continued. "That's the last thing I want. Furthermore, I saw what happened when he continued on that dark path he was going. He hurt people and ended up on the wrong end of a knife. That was a bad ending for me. Fortunately for him, my team and I changed his destiny for the better. He's turning into a decent guy, but it'll be a long time before I ever forgive him."

That gave Adam pause. "Sounds like you love her a lot."

"How romantic," Mizore murmured, and as toneless as her voice came, it sounded like she genuinely meant that. Of course, she didn't have to worry. She already knew Adam was willing to kill for her.

"She's my reason for fighting, she's my reason for becoming a Rider, and she's the person I treasure the most," Ryuji said. "So I must be strong for her. I can't be weak."

"You're the farthest thing from weak I can think of," Moka complimented. "Anybody who'll fight that hard for a world not his is a very strong person."

"I have to make the best of it. After all, home is where the heart is. I may not have been born on her world, but I can still call it home. She's waiting for me, I suppose. Now it's time for me to go home," Ryuji said. "And considering Sauron's on the loose, it's best I get there soon. Who knows what that psycho bitch is planning?"

"She'll go down," Adam answered. "People like that always get what they deserve in the end."

Ryuji let out a half-chuckle. "You crack me up." He admired confidence like that. They were a tight-knit group. He really missed being part of a team after being alone with Loki all this time. He became serious, "But, to be honest, Sauron isn't easy to defeat. We killed her once, or at least we thought we did, and she came back. She's unpredictable so you never know what she's going to do next. She's also a shape shifter and can be anyone she wants or anyone you want. She likes to play games with your heart and mind."

"I've had experience with people like that," admitted Adam.

"What does she want, actually?" Moka asked.

"C&C," answered Ryuji. Seeing their confused looks, he elaborated. "Control and Conquer. If she doesn't get that, then it's D&D. Destroy and Devour."

"Devour?" Yukari questioned.

"She's Queen of the Horrors. She destroys worlds and devourers the remains if she can't conquer them or simply gets bored or fed up," Ryuji answered. "That's how dangerous she is." His blue eyes fell upon Moka. "Moka Akashiya, right? I saw Adam unseal your power. Let me tell you I'm impressed."

"Thank you, Ryuji . . ." Moka began.

"Fight me," he said. "I want to measure my skill and power against your true self, vampire. Fight me." His eyes glowed with a golden aura. "And don't hold back."

Everyone tensed up . . . and Ryuji let out a laugh, amused at their reactions. "You should've seen the looks on all your faces!"

"That was a joke!" Adam yelled indignantly.

"Yeah, it was," Ryuji affirmed. "I'm tired of fighting right now and being away from Koto-chan all this time. I just want to see her again. I want to hold her again. I want to kiss her again." Ryuji finished, "I want to be with her again, and now I'm ready."

The following day, in the forest, the DynoLiner was waiting for Ryuji to board. Adam and the girls were there to bid the Rider from another world farewell.

"A piece of advice, Adam Taylor," Ryuji spoke. "Do what you gotta do and do it right."

Adam nodded. "And you take care of everyone important to you."

"Glad you enjoyed the cookies!" Loki shouted. "Come and visit sometime! I can make more!"

"Loki!" Ryuji protested.

Adam chuckled. "That's just his way of making friends. You know, if you let him give people cookies instead of fighting them, you'd make a lot more friends."

Ryuji just smirked. "I'm not interested in having a lot of friends."

"Too bad, because I'm sure you'll have plenty. It's just that winning disposition of yours."

"Whatever." Ryuji turned to enter the DynoLiner. "Take care of your girls, Adam."

"You take care of yours, too," Adam answered.

"I will." Ryuji entered the DynoLiner, and its door closed behind him. The train tracks stretched towards a portal as the train chugged along before vanishing into the portal. It then vanished.

Loki, without Ryuji's knowledge, had given special two-way tickets to the group so that they could visit their world one day.

**-THE END: LET'S RIDE!-**

* * *

KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And THAT is our collaboration! I'd like to thank Rider Paladin for investing his time and talent into this little project of ours.


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